- Fast service. E-mail notification of orders, order history look up available.

In all cases, my orders arrived well before I anticipated them!

- Organized storage of uploaded photographs

- Connected to social networking sites

I have not used this part of the shutterfly site; as I do not have a facebook or twitter acct.

I imagine it would work just great! Hmmmm.....maybe I'll have to try a business facebookpage, just to see how this works.

- Special offers abound. Their website always seems to have special offers to entice you!

I'm not sure that I've paid for any shipping!

Why did I decide to post about this today? Well, I just ordered my Holiday cards from Shutterfly! I couldn't decide on the card, so I ordered two different ones! Can't wait until they arrive! I'm sure I'll be pleased! So, if you are looking to get photographs printed; try Shutterfly.

This is a unique piece! You will own a one of a kind piece of handcrafted jewelry if you purchase this all sterling and murano glass bracelet made with pandora type beads. Today, only it is listed at $32.40. That is 30% off the regular price of $45.00. WOW! Grab this today!

My other news is that everything in my shop has been reduced for a Cyber Monday Sale. All my listings are 20% off, now through Monday night, 11/29/10 at 11 pm EST. Prices have already been adjusted and I am also offering FREE shipping!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Hello! Today my item of the Day is this wonderful Hawaiian Inspired Black and White Spiral Shell Necklace! It is usually $25.00. Today, I marked it down to $18.00 but then decided to place everything in my shop on sale for Cyber Monday, starting now! So, the price of this totally unique piece is only $14.40! It will never be lower in price, so grab it today!

Take a Walk and give thanks for Nature, the Earth, and the things you have been given.....

Visit with Family and Friends.....

Be a good listener.......

Spend time with your children!

I will be making an apple pie today, as we are taking dessert to a friends house for dinner. Usually, I make the pie with apples from our own orchard! But alas, since we moved three years ago; our orchard (30 trees) is still young at this house and we only had a few apples this year. So, the pie won't be as special, but I'm sure it will be tasty, all the same!

My Item of the Day promotions continue! Today's feature is my Altered Art, Travel Charm Bracelet; A Taste of Place- Hawaii! You can view it here;

These bracelets are one of my newest lines of jewelry! They feature my own photographs from some of my favorite trips! They are handmade with 20G Sterling silver wire and a mix of sterling and pewter charms that fit the place. Naturally, Hawaii has many flowers, ocean animals, and palm trees; along with lava and beaches! I am offering this bracelet at a very special price today of only $35.00. You save $20.00, today only. This offer expires at 11 pm EST tonight! Don't miss this one! It would be a great present for a person who loves Hawaii or is planning a trip to Hawaii!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Etsy is rolling out new coupon codes! My shop has been selected to be one of first shops to feature coupons. So, I thought I would try it on my blog! Until the end of November all my blog readers will get 20% off their purchases in my shop by using this coupon code at check out;

Since we don't know exactly how this will work. I will guarentee you the 20% off your purchases, if for some reason you pay and the coupon doesn't go through, I will refund that 20% to you. So, you see, there are no risks here for you!

Like something in my shop? Buy it and save 20% with the above coupon code!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Good Morning! My item of the day are the Wonderful Red Flowered Wooden Bead and Czech glass One of a Kind Dangle Earrings pictured above! These were $15.00. Today, only they are $10.00. Just click on the picture to go to my shop! And remember, the special sale price ends at 11pm EST tonight, 11/18/10.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Good Morning! I know I usually do a Wordless Wednesday post but today I'd like to write!

First, I am going to try and post my Item of the Day here on my blog! It will be an item from my shop offered at a discounted (usually hugely discounted price). But, the clinker is; it will only be offered at that price for the day it is listed as the Item of the Day. The sale expires at 11pm EST each day! For all my local customers, if I know you (like you were just at my home jewelry show), you will not have to pay shipping on any item of the day or piece from my shop for that matter! I must know you personally for you to get the waive on the shipping fees, so that I can safely and personally deliver the item to you!

It was $30.00, today it is only $20.00. Sale offer good until 11 pm EST tonight! The bracelet is pictured above and contains all sterling silver, swarovski crystals, and artisan made fused glass beads all in a lovely Caribbean Blue Color. Reminds me of the Turquoise Blue Waters of Bermuda. Sterling Silver has greatly gone up in price within the last few months. All of my new jewelry creations will have to carry a higher price if made with sterling. Grab the pieces made with sterling in my shop now to get great value on some lovely, handcrafted but underpriced jewelry!

Look for My Item of the Day post here, each day leading up to the holidays!

Now for my main post!

I went to a cookie decorating class last night! It was very nice! The instructor knew her stuff and could explain how to decorate the cookies (cutouts) very simply! I love cutout cookies and have always wanted to take mine up a notch......I'd love them to look like the cookies in those holiday magazine articles!

First, we damned the cookies! No, no......were weren't mad at them; we were making a border or outline of the areas to be filled in. This was done with a thicker Royal Frosting. I 've done this before but alas, one of my damns broke! D.......*!>*^!

Next, we flooded the cookies! No, no.....not with tears of frustration, but with a thinner version of the Royal Frosting! Now, I had done this before, too. But, I learned last night that you can just thin out the thicker royal frosting that you had in your pastry bag for outlining with a little water! Whoa.....go slow adding the water! If you thin it too much; your frosting will never harden! I also have always "flooded" with a pastry bag. This instructor had us do it with a spoon! It worked pretty slick!

And lastly, we did a little flocking.......from reading my Martha Stewart Living Magazines in the past......I know that the word flocking does lend itself to more that what you do in cardmaking or scrapbooking......more than in jewelry box making......The word flocking applies to cookie decorating, too!

It was a fun class. The only downer was that I ate both the cookies that I decorated and upon my arrival home, my family wanted to know where their cookies were!!!!! I guess I'll be making some real soon!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

After hosting my Second Annual Home Jewelry Show this past weekend, I am ready for some shopping! Are you ready for holiday shopping? Well, below is a link to some great handcrafted products that are on special today only! As luck would have it, my ever popular, On Golden Sands Multi-stranded Bracelet is on special today, 11/16/10, only! Check it out! Have fun with your holiday shopping and support handmade!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

This week, I resumed volunteering where my sons have gone to school. It is something I have done for the last 11 years! Yeah, that is a long time. However, it is something that I truly enjoy!

I think I'm lucky to be able to volunteer. I love working with children and helping, in some small way, to "plant a seed" in their minds. The "seed" could be knowledge, curiosity, caring, encouragement, creativity, or any number of other things!

I have tried, this year, to consolidate my volunteering. Instead of running back and forth several times a week to school, I am going in on one day. In the morning, on my day of volunteering, I am leading a book club for first graders! It is the third year I have done this activity for the same teacher! I love it! The first graders are the "higher level readers" in this particular classroom, so I just get to work on fluency and comprehension. Most of them do a really good job reading, already. As I said, I feel really fortunate to be able to lead this book club! I enjoy picking out the book for each week and seeing the students enjoy the story, as well as the time we spend together.

Then, in the afternoon, I will be facilitating a writer's circle for a third grade classroom. This is new for me! It will be a welcome challenge. I like to write! Unfortunately, I've started a number of articles, stories, lesson plans, and few are continued to their end. It will be a challenge to guide some "budding" writers, especially when they are still learning writing conventions and finding their voice. Yet, I am still very much looking forward to this!

It may be that my love of reading ignites my interest in writing. I do know that the more I read, the more I am stimulated to write. In the first week of my writers circle, that is the one thing I tried to impress upon my group of third graders, great writers read a lot!

So, I came home late last week exhilarated!!! I am fortunate to be a volunteer and fortunate to be able to volunteer to do something I love! Thank you to my childrens' teachers, past and present, for allowing me to contribute! I encourage you all to try and volunteer. Pick an activity you love or a cause your are passionate about; you're sure to love being a volunteer, too!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

As some of you know, last month I offered a feature post giving a snapshot of what September was like for Carol's Jewelry Orchard! Today, albeit a few days late, I will offer the same post on the month of October 2010.

October was a good month with steady sales, bringing in one more sale than September for a total of 12!

I received a custom order for a bracelet in those 12 sales and the customer had this to say;

HelloJust wanted to let you know that I received the bracelet today and it is "Beautiful".I love it and you did a great job...........Many Blessings to you,L.T.

This customer received her custom ordered TEACHER bracelet in less than two weeks after placing the order with me! Wow! In part, this was due to the speedy shipping of my supplier! Thanks, Artbeads! The custom bracelet is featured above and only contains Sterling Silver and Swarovski Crystals.

On the last day of October, I had a customer buy 4 pairs of earrings from my shop! She had placed an order for two pairs, two days prior to that, also! She is a new etsy shopper! Congratulations go to her for figuring out the Etsy/Paypal checkout system without difficulty! I upgraded her shipping to priority mail and gave a partial paypal refund on shipping fees. Please note the cool things that might happen when you buy from Carol's jewelry Orchard! She should be getting her earrings today or tomorrow! I can't wait to receive the feedback on those! And thanks to those of you who do leave feedback for your purchases! It is extremely important to me to hear that you are pleased with your purchases!

I also received 6 custom orders (not counted in the 12 sales for October) from family members. I have to admit that I haven't started these yet, due to being extremely busy with getting ready for my second annual Jewelry House Showing, next weekend! But, I have ordered the components I need for those orders! Rest assured they will get the orders well before they need them!

And finally, just in the last day or two; some of my jewelry has been featured on other blogs/links/treasuries. If you are in the mood for shopping, check this blog out for daily features from a forum thread called Item of the Day on Etsy. It features some wonderful deals from some very nice artists. The sale is only good for the day it is listed! http://christinemarieford.com/?p=668 Check it out daily! My Red Jasper Multi-stranded Bracelet was featured on 11/1/10. Check the post for that day to see it or visit my shop.

Oh, and let us not forget about my first official blog giveaway! I only had a few people enter the giveaway in October for a beautiful PINK Fused Glass Pendant Necklace surrounded by swarovski crystals. The winner, "Zoe", was thrilled to be notified that she was picked by random.org. Look for additional giveaways from my shop in the future!

So, that was my October! I'm really looking forward to my show this month. It will be exciting to see what my local customers are interested in! Thanks for stopping by and please visit my shop at; http://carolsjewelryorchard.etsy.com for a partial listing of what will be at my show.